The Latest: Bush family heads to special funeral train

The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard from St. Martin's Episcopal Church Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on events honoring former President George H.W. Bush (all times local):

11:45 a.m.

The family of George H.W. Bush is headed to a Union Pacific facility to join a special train that will carry the former president's casket to his final resting place.

Bush's relatives, including son George W. Bush and his family, left St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston following a funeral that was attended by about 1,200 mourners.

The family is headed to a facility in Spring, Texas, where a special funeral train will depart with a final destination of College Station.

It will be the eighth funeral train in U.S. history and the first since Dwight D. Eisenhower's body traveled from the National Cathedral in Washington through seven states to his Kansas hometown of Abilene 49 years ago. Abraham Lincoln's funeral train was the first, in 1865.

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11:35 a.m.

Country music star Reba McEntire has sung "The Lord's Prayer" at the Houston funeral service of former President George H.W. Bush.

The Grammy winner on Thursday followed the Oak Ridge Boys, who were one of the president's favorite musical acts and who sang "Amazing Grace" during the service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston.

The church where the Bush family worships was filled with celebrities for the final public farewell to the 41st president.

Bush will be buried during a private service later Thursday at his family plot on the Bush presidential library grounds at Texas A&M University in College Station.

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11:15 a.m.

The grandsons of former President George H.W. Bush served as honorary pallbearers at his flag-draped casket was carried out of a Houston church following the last public remembrance for the 41st president.

Among the grandsons who served as honorary pallbearers at Thursday's funeral service were George P. Bush, Samuel Bush LeBlond and Pierce Mallon Bush.

A hearse will now carry the casket from St. Martin's Episcopal Church to a Union Pacific facility north of Houston near the international airport named for Bush. There, it will be placed on a special train that will travel to his presidential library in College Station, where he will be buried during a private service.

Bush died last week at age 94.

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This item has been corrected to reflect that the grandsons served as honorary pallbearers, not the actual pallbearers who carried the casket from the church.

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11:10 a.m.

George H.W. Bush is being remembered at his longtime church as a man of faith who taught Sunday School, served coffee and watched his children perform in a Christmas pageant.

The Rev. Russell Levenson, Jr. told mourners Thursday that Bush had a "resolute faith" and once asked what heaven would be like. He told those gathered at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church that he imagined Bush was greeted in heaven by his wife, Barbara Bush, "with her hands on her hips, saying 'What took you so long?'"

Levenson said it was OK to cry because George H.W. Bush was never afraid to shed tears himself.

Bush's longtime pastor ended the homily with the same prayer used at the president's 1989 inauguration.

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11 a.m.

Two of George H.W. Bush's granddaughters read from Corinthians at his Texas funeral.

Nancy Ellis LeBlond Sosa and Georgia Grace Koch, who are the daughters of Dorothy Bush Koch, read the passage at the funeral Thursday at St. Martin's Episcopal Church.

Other granddaughters read passages earlier in the service, including Barbara Pierce Bush, the daughter of George W. Bush; Noelle Lucila Bush, daughter of Jeb Bush; and Elizabeth Dwen Andrews, whose mother is married to Neil Bush.

After the funeral, a hearse will carry Bush's casket from St. Martin's to a Union Pacific facility north of Houston near the international airport named for him. There, his casket will be placed on a special train that will travel to his presidential library in College Station, where he will be buried alongside his wife and their daughter Robin.

Bush died last week at age 94.

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10:45 a.m.

The only member of the Bush dynasty still in public office says he and former President George H.W. Bush's 16 other grandchildren grew up in awe of the man they knew as "gampy."

George P. Bush told mourners Thursday that the former president would challenge his grandkids to games like "the first to sleep award." The line drew laughs at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, where the Bush family worshipped.

The 42-year-old George P. Bush holds the office of Texas land commissioner. He joined former Secretary of State James Baker in eulogizing the 41st president, who died last week at age 94.

George P. Bush is the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. He was easily re-elected in November to a second four-year term in Texas.

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10:40 a.m.

Former Secretary of State James Baker remembered his longtime friend George H.W. Bush as having "had the courage of a warrior but the greater courage of a peacemaker" during an emotional eulogy at Bush's funeral in Houston.

Baker began the eulogy Thursday with an apology. Using the nickname "Jefe," which is Spanish for "boss," Baker said he was going to brag about Bush, even though the former president hated boasting.

He called Bush the "best one-term president" in the nation's history. He also praised Bush's grace after the fall of the Berlin Wall, saying that Bush understood that humility toward a fallen adversary "is the very best path."

Bush will be buried during a private ceremony later Thursday at his presidential library in College Station.

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10:30 a.m.

Grandchildren of former president George H.W. Bush have given readings from the Bible at his funeral in his home state of Texas.

Those reading passages at the Thursday morning service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston included Barbara Pierce Bush, a daughter of George W. Bush, and Noelle Lucila Bush, daughter of Jeb Bush.

After the funeral, a hearse will carry the 41st president's casket from St. Martin's to a Union Pacific facility north of Houston near the international airport named for him. There, his casket will be placed on a special train that will travel to his presidential library in College Station, where he will be buried.

Bush died last week at age 94.

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10:25 a.m.

An honor guard has escorted the flag-draped casket of George H.W. Bush to the altar of the church where his funeral is being held in Texas.

After the casket reached the altar, attendees stood and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the Thursday morning funeral for Bush in Houston.

The funeral at St. Martin's Episcopal Church is also expected to include music from country music's Reba McEntire and the Oak Ridge Boys.

Following the service, Bush's casket will be escorted by train to his presidential library in College Station for burial.

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10:15 a.m.

The Houston funeral for George H.W. Bush has opened with an anthem sung at his inauguration.

The St. Martin's Parish Choir performed "This is My Country" at Thursday's funeral, which is the last public remembrance for the 41st president before his burial later Thursday during a private service at his presidential library in College Station.

The funeral at St. Martin's Episcopal Church also included the hymn "O Beautiful for Spacious Skies."

Bush's longtime friend and secretary of state, James Baker, is set to give a eulogy, along with Bush's grandson, George P. Bush.

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10 a.m.

Funeral services have begun at a Houston church for George H.W. Bush, the last public remembrance for the former president who will be laid to rest Thursday.

About 1,200 mourners were expected at St. Martin's Episcopal Church for the service, which will include eulogies from Bush's secretary of state, James Baker, and his grandson, George P. Bush.

The funeral follows three days of events in Washington honoring the 41st president.

After the Houston funeral, a special train painted to resemble Air Force One will carry Bush's casket, family and close friends about 70 miles (115 kilometers) to College Station, where he will be buried in a private service alongside his late wife, Barbara Bush, and their daughter Robin, who died of leukemia in 1953 at age 3.

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9:50 a.m.

Former President George W. Bush and other family members have arrived at a Houston church to remember former President George H.W. Bush.

About 1,200 mourners were expected to attend Thursday's funeral service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, where the Bush family worshipped.

After the funeral, a hearse will carry Bush's casket from St. Martin's to a Union Pacific facility north of Houston near the international airport named for him. There, his casket will be placed on a special train that will travel to his presidential library in College Station, where he will be buried.

The country said goodbye to Bush Wednesday in a national funeral service in Washington.

Bush died last week at age 94.

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9:40 a.m.

Former basketball star Yao Ming and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt are among a handful of sports figures attending the Houston funeral for President George H.W. Bush.

Baseball Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan and Jeff Bagwell also arrived Thursday morning for the service at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, where the Bush family worshipped.

Bush was a fan of his hometown teams. He joined his son, former President George W. Bush, on the field before Game 5 of the 2017 World Series in Houston.

Astros owner Drayton McLane and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda are also in attendance.

About 1,200 mourners are expected at the service. Bush died last week at age 94.

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8:25 a.m.

Guests have started to arrive at the Houston church where former President George H.W. Bush is being remembered.

Services for the 41st president are set for Thursday morning at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, where the Bush family worshipped. The church's doors opened two hours early for guests, who arrived on buses with marquees reading "George H.W. Bush."

About 1,200 mourners are expected at the service. Bush's grandchildren are serving as honorary pallbearers and as readers in the service.

After the funeral, a hearse will carry Bush's casket from St. Martin's to a Union Pacific facility north of Houston near the international airport named for him. There, his casket will be placed on a special train that will travel to his presidential library in College Station, where he will be buried.

Bush died last week at age 94.

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8:15 a.m.

The founder of Poland's anti-communist Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa (lek vah-WEHN'-sah), attended U.S. President George H.W. Bush's state funeral in Washington wearing a T-shirt with the word "Konstytucja" (Constitution), a symbol of a political struggle in his homeland against the populist government.

Walesa says it was his way of paying tribute to a U.S. leader who fought for freedom. But many people in Poland found it inappropriate.

Walesa said ahead of Wednesday's ceremony for Bush, "Therefore, when I say goodbye, I want to say that the fight goes on, that we disregarded democracy in Poland, we let the populists and demagogues win. And today we have trouble."

Bush was president from 1989 to 1993, a time in which communism toppled across Eastern Europe and Walesa became president of a democratic Poland.

Bush died last week in Houston at age 94. His burial is Thursday.

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7:40 a.m.

The Houston funeral for George H.W. Bush will feature music from some of the former president's favorite country music stars.

The Oak Ridge Boys will perform "Amazing Grace" and Reba McEntire will sing "The Lord's Prayer" at Thursday's services at Houston's St. Martin's Episcopal Church.

Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys says Bush had personally requested that the group sing "Amazing Grace" at his funeral. Allen tells The Tennessean newspaper the band did an impromptu performance for Bush at the White House when Bush was vice president and that began a decades-long friendship.

Allen says the band is honored to keep its promise to Bush to perform at his funeral.

Bush died last week in Houston at age 94. A national funeral service for Bush was held Wednesday in Washington.

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6:15 a.m.

More than 11,000 people paid their respects to George H.W. Bush as the 41st president lay in repose all night at a Houston church where his family worshipped.

Some visitors waited for hours Wednesday night to pay tribute to Bush, who will be buried Thursday following a funeral at St. Martin's Episcopal Church.

About 1,200 mourners are expected at the service Thursday morning. Delivering a eulogy will be James Baker, Bush's former secretary of state and longtime confidant.

Bush's grandson George P. Bush will give the other eulogy. He is the Texas land commissioner.

A special train will then take Bush's casket to the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, where Bush will be buried at his presidential library next to his wife, Barbara, and their young daughter Robin, who died in 1953.

Bush died at his home in Houston on Friday at age 94.

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12:35 a.m.

George H.W. Bush is going to his final rest in Texas. The 41st president will be buried Thursday at his family plot on the presidential library grounds at Texas A&M University in College Station.

His final resting place is alongside wife Barbara Bush and daughter Robin, who died of leukemia at age 3. The country said a formal goodbye to Bush on Wednesday in a national funeral service in Washington.

The service at Washington National Cathedral included high praise and a hefty dose of humor about a man once described as a cross between Mister Rogers and John Wayne.

As three former presidents and President Donald Trump looked on, former President George W. Bush eulogized his father as "the brightest of a thousand points of light."

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